German Car Zone

Detonating GM's plastic explosive - 0-60 in just 3.3 seconds; handling to match


Now that Chevrolet has unleashed the new Corvette ZR1, the most powerful production car in General Motors' history, those who felt it was a stretch to compare a Corvette Z06 with Ferraris and Lamborghinis might agree that the ZR1 truly belongs in this elite category of sports cars. The ZR1's performance is so over-the-top, it's no longer America's sports car. It's America's supercar, on a level beyond reproach by all but the most exotic of machinery.

As with any Corvette, the heart and soul of the ZR1 is its engine, in this case a hand-assembled 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 V-8, similar to the one in the Cadillac CTS-V, only with a lot more power — 638 bhp at 6500 rpm and 604 lb.-ft. of torque at 3800 rpm, to be precise (of note, the Caddy has 556 bhp).

And no, slapping a Roots-type supercharger (with 4-lobe rotors) on this engine hasn't made it any less harmonious to an enthusiast's ears. It actually has an even angrier exhaust note than the already-feisty Z06. There's a subdued whine from the supercharger at low rpm, but once the tachometer passes 3000 rpm with the throttle floored, the exhaust drastically changes its pitch, resulting in a cacophony of mechanical sounds: snorty V-8, lightly whining supercharger and a ripping exhaust — loud and proud.

Unlike most supercharged engines, which peter out at higher revs, the ZR1's engine makes its peak horsepower right at its 6500-rpm redline. With the supercharger's help down low, the ZR1 produces a never-ending forward surge of other-worldly power, the kind of rush that makes you laugh hysterically with every full-throttle run through the gears. The force of its acceleration actually makes you forget to breathe, and the violence with which it gobbles up blacktop — as though it hasn't eaten in months — startles passengers.


Full Test: Road and Track - Road Test: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1


VIDEO



Searing performance.......an Allstar.


M

ZR-1
$117,000
6.2L Supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8
FE-RWD
6 speed manual
638 bhp @ 6500 rpm
604 lbs-ft @ 3800 rpm
Redline: 6500 rpm
Curb Weight: 3325 lbs
0-30mph: 1.5 sec
0-60mph: 3.4 sec
0-80mph: 5.1 sec
0-100mph: 7.4 sec
0-120mph: 9.8 sec
0-100ft, 2.6 sec
0-500ft, 6.3 sec
0-900ft, 9.0 sec
0-1320ft, 11.4 sec @ 129.3 mph
60mph-0, 106 ft
80mph-0, 183 ft
Lateral: 1.10g
Slalom: 73.4 mph
Weight Distribution: 52/48
Tires: 285/335
Top Speed: 205 mph

Just For Fun & Comparison

LP560-4
$251,260
5.2L 40-valve DOHC V-10
ME-AWD
6 speed paddle shift manual
552 bhp @ 8000 rpm
398 lbs-ft @ 6500 rpm
Redline: 8500 rpm
Curb Weight: 3595 lbs
0-30mph: 1.3 sec
0-60mph: 3.2 sec
0-80mph: 5.0 sec
0-100mph: 6.9 sec
0-120mph: 9.7 sec
0-100ft, 2.4 sec
0-500ft, 6.2 sec
0-900ft, 8.8 sec
0-1320ft, 11.2 sec @ 129.5 mph
60mph-0, 112 ft
80mph-0, 192 t
Lateral: 1.00g
Slalom: 72.1 mph
Weight Distribution: 44/56
Tires: 235/295
Top Speed: 202 mph

599 GTB
$319,408
6.0L 48-valve DOHC V-12
FE-RWD
6 speed paddle shift manual
611 bhp @ 7600 rpm
448 lbs-ft @ 5600 rpm
Redline: 8400 rpm
Curb Weight: 3865 lbs
0-30mph: 1.4 sec
0-60mph: 3.2 sec
0-80mph: 5.0 sec
0-100mph: 7.0 sec
0-120mph: 9.8 sec
0-100ft, 2.4 sec
0-500ft, 6.2 sec
0-900ft, 8.8 sec
0-1320ft, 11.2 sec @ 129.3 mph
60mph-0, 109 ft
80mph-0, 186 ft
Lateral: 0.97g
Slalom: 71.2 mph
Weight Distribution: 47/53
Tires: 245/305
Top Speed: 205 mph

SRT-10
$91,995
8.4L OHV 20-valve V-10
FE-RWD
6 speed manual
600 bhp @ 6100 rpm
560 lbs-ft @ 5000 rpm
Redline: 6000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3440 lbs
0-30mph: 1.7 sec
0-60mph: 3.7 sec
0-80mph: 5.6 sec
0-100mph: 8.4 sec
0-120mph: 11.2 sec
0-100ft, 2.7 sec
0-500ft, 6.7 sec
0-900ft, 9.5 sec
0-1320ft, 11.9 sec @ 124.4 mph
60mph-0, 112 ft
80mph-0, 193 ft
Lateral: 1.01g
Slalom: 69.7 mph
Weight Distribution: 48/52
Tires: 275/345
Top Speed: 202 mph

R8 V8
$124,100
4.2L 32-valve DOHC V-8
ME-AWD
6 speed paddle shift manual
420 bhp @ 7800 rpm
317 lbs-ft @ 4500 rpm
Redline: 8000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3440 lbs
0-30mph: 1.5 sec
0-60mph: 4.3 sec
0-80mph: 7.0 sec
0-100mph: 10.5 sec
0-120mph: 15.3 sec
0-100ft, 2.6 sec
0-500ft, 6.9 sec
0-900ft, 10.0 sec
0-1320ft, 12.7 sec @ 111.0 mph
60mph-0, 115 ft
80mph-0, 204 ft
Lateral: 0.97g
Slalom: 70.2 mph
Weight Distribution: 44/56
Tires: 235/295
Top Speed: 187 mph

Veyron
$1,482,700
8.0-liter DOHC 64-valve W-16
ME-AWD
7 speed DSG
1001 bhp @ 6000 rpm
922 lbs-ft @ 2200 rpm
Redline: 6600 rpm
Curb Weight: 4470 lbs
0-30mph: 1.2 sec
0-60mph: 2.6 sec
0-80mph: 3.9 sec
0-100mph: 5.5 sec
0-120mph: 7.3 sec
0-100ft, 2.3 sec
0-500ft, 5.7 sec
0-900ft, 8.0 sec
0-1320ft, 10.2 sec @ 142.9 mph
60mph-0, 111 ft
80mph-0, 199 ft
Lateral: 0.94g
Slalom: 68.0 mph
Weight Distribution: 45/55
Tires: 265/365
Top Speed: 253 mph

McLaren F1
$815,000
6.1-liter DOHC 48-valve V-12
ME-RWD
6 speed manual
627 bhp @ 7500 rpm
480 lbs-ft @ 5600 rpm
Redline: 7500 rpm
Curb Weight: 2513 lbs
0-30mph: 1.8 sec
0-60mph: 3.2 sec
0-80mph: 4.5 sec
0-100mph: 6.3 sec
0-120mph: 9.2 sec
0-100ft, 2.5 sec
0-500ft, 6.0 sec
0-900ft, 8.7 sec
0-1320ft, 11.1 sec @ 138.0 mph
70mph-0, 162 ft
Weight Distribution: 41/59
Tires: 235/315
Top Speed: 240 mph